Can't
by Jazzymark
Summary: Erec is getting ready for his coronation to become King of Alypium, but he is having second thoughts, he doesn't trust himself around the scepter, around the power. As Bethany watches him pace the floor, will she be able to talk him into taking the crown? Can she make him see that he can, not can't? BethanyXErec. One Shot.


**Disclaimer; I do not own Erec Rex, Kaza Kinglsey does and last i checked i wasnt her.**

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Erec paced the room exceedingly nervous. He didn't want this; he didn't want any of this. Now that he had the time, he was able to think it over. Everything was over, Baskania was history, and the repairs were being done to the kingdoms' of Ashona, Alypium, and Aorth. But that was not the cause of Erec's panic; it was the fact that he had to now face the challenge of power. Of being King of Alypium. His brother and sister had taken the gift easily, probably because their memories were still intact, and they knew they were rightfully king and queen, and had never forgotten either. But the pressure on Erec was over whelming to deal with, his whole life he thought that he was normal. That he was going to grow up, go to college and get a job somewhere. But obviously that wasn't the case for him.

No Erec had to be a prince. Prince about to be crowned king, meant to destroy a wanna-be ruler, and have the capability of turning into a beautiful green dragon. None of that was originally on Erec's bucket list.

But Erec didn't want to be crowned king, he doesn't want the power, he doesn't want the pressure of ruling a whole kingdom. The thought of that didn't exactly click in Erecs head, and he didn't think it ever would. Out of all the quests that he had to face down, this was absolutely the hardest. And he fact that he had to be given a crown and power? Erec shook his head at the thought of it.

"I can't do it." He said aloud to himself. "I can't accept the crown and scepter."

The scepter. The all powerful scepter that Erec knew would be his own down fall, which he knew he couldn't resist. The scepter radiated power, so much power it could consume a man inside out making him go power mad. This had nearly happened to Erec every time he was near the scepter, and Erec was scared of the thing. Scared of how blinded he could become, scared of how… how horrible things could turn out if his mind took a wrong turn. He shook his head again, wishing everything could slow down.

"What am I going to do?" He asked to no one in particular. He couldn't not accept the crown, because now that Alypium saw that Baskania was cheating them the whole time, and that Erec was the actual hero, they wanted him to take rule. They wanted the boy who saved them to protect them forever.

Erec was taken away from his thoughts as he heard light footsteps tread the ground as they walked down the hall.

'Probably looking for me,' He thought. 'Why did the coronation have to be today?'

"Erec?" Called a soft voice searching for him. It was Bethany

Bethany Cleary was Erec's best friend, and sometimes it seemed more than that. He knew her from the very beginning when he originally came to Alypium to save his mom after she had disappeared. They had always been close, so of course it would be her to come searching. Erec heard her knock on the door.

"Erec are you in there?" She called out.

Now he had two options, he could not respond and let her move on, or he could answer and the arrival at the coronation would be inevitable. But he would have to go through with it eventually, and ignoring her would only get him in trouble with her and his sister Elizabeth once they both found out he was lying. They became close friends, Bethany and Elizabeth. Scarily close.

"I'm in here." He called out to her.

"Finally!" Erec heard her say, he smiled. She strolled into the room and he raised his eyebrows just staring at her.

She walked in and she practically radiated beauty. She had dawned a white dress that complemented her figure, it stopped at her toes, so every step she took you could see the white one inch heals that had hand carved leaves going up the side that sparkled slightly. The pattern on the dress was perfectly simple, as delicate green leaves trimmed the edges and wrapped around her waste line. Her dark chocolate hair was pulled into a water fall braid and small white roses decorated her hair, and a beautiful green gem lay delicately on her chest. Erec smiled as he noticed that the shape was carved as a dragon.

"What are you smiling at?" Bethany said hands on her hips, then she looked him up and down and threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "Erec!"

"What?" He asked jumping.

"Why aren't you dressed?" She asked giving him a look.

"Because," Erec sighed, he turned around in his chair so his back was to her. "I don't want this."

He heard Bethany sigh and she walked over and sat down next to him. He had to stop himself from staring at her face, which had enough makeup to highlight her already soft and delicate features. Erec felt as Bethany pulled him into a hug and said,

"I know Erec. But come on! You don't have anything to be upset about! You have your mom, your siblings, your friends, Baskania is gone, and everything is falling into its proper place. Erec there is nothing that you should be upset about!"

"But Bethany," Erec said standing and beginning his pacing again. "That's exactly what I'm worried about. Baskania became evil because he became power hungry, because he got one bite and then wanted everything. I don't want to become power crazy, and I'm worried if I do."

"Erec you have your brother and sister! You know Edward and Elizabeth? I'm pretty sure they would stop you if you ever became too crazy." Bethany tried reassuring him.

"But they won't be there the whole time!" He argued. "They will move onto their tasks in their own kingdom. How is Edward going to help me from Aorth if I all of a sudden start blowing things up? Or how is Elizabeth going to make her way quick enough to stop me from forcing people to bend over and bow down to me by force?"

"Well I'll be there."

It became quite and Erec turned to stare at Bethany, "You could get hu-"

"You and I know very well that couldn't happen. You know I can protect myself and you if I needed to Erec. I could stop you." Bethany said, sounding confidant in herself.

"And what if you can't?"

"Erec, I care about you to much to give up on you."

"But-"

"You didn't give up on me and I'm not going to give up on you." Bethany interrupted him, as she grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around forcing him to a halt in front of her.

"Bethany I don't know how to rule a kingdom…" Erec stated quietly looking down.

Bethany smiled at him, "Just be yourself Erec, those quests were completed for a reason. It was made to prove that you have the skills and the parts inside of you to become an amazing king."

Before he could say anything in response to her Bethany grabbed him and held him out in front of her looking him up and down, "Okay you are so not getting your crown and scepter dressed like that. Go change into your royal clothes."

And without argument Erec sighed and walked into the bedroom of the chamber they were in, and put on the velvet red robes.

Bethany watched him as he left to get changed; she understood why he doubted himself. She had seen that look in his eyes, that power hungry look, when he had once took hold of the scepter. But that was all over now, Erec knew how to control the power of the scepter with what's inside of him, he just didn't know it yet. That was what the quest were all about after all; they were testing you to see if you can keep you mind and strength straight while you had the scepter in hand.

Bethany looked down and picked up the gem on her chest, she smiled at the dragon figure. Everybody thought that the glistering ornate was a jewel, emerald possibly, but it wasn't it was a scale. A scale from the very same dragon as it was shaped as. After the battle with Baskania, while Bethany was cleaning up, she noticed a scale that must have fallen off Erec as he soared through the clouds; she went to the Hermit, who smiled crazily at her, cast a spell and the scale carved into Erec as a dragon. She smiled at Erec as he stepped out of the bedroom, he looked amazing.

"Ready?" Bethany asked, putting down the necklace and walking up to him.

"Well I-… no not really-… I kind of don't-" Erec stuttered.

Bethany sighed and rolled her eyes at the stuttering prince, then wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. She felt him not kiss back at first as he was over come by shock, but she mentally smiled as he kissed her back. The soft touch of their lips was everything that Bethany had imagined and more. She pulled away and grabbed his hand,

"You ready now?" She asked smiling.

Erec smiled at her, "Yeah."

And they both walked out of the room together, hand in hand, knowing that their could never be a better feeling in the world then the connection that they shared at that moment. The crowing didn't matter to Erec anymore, he could do it, there was just one more thing he couldn't do. And Bethany was thinking the exact same thing,

"_I can't let this love go."_

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_**Hey** **guys Jazzymark is aback and ready to go. I saw some of your request in the last story and I undertsand you wanted some Bethany and Erec, I had no idea how to do that until this came to mind. Well you ladies and gents are in luck because where I am its summer vacation, and that means its story time people. SO get yourselves ready and any request on stories i will feel happy to obliged. **_

_**For those who do not have an account and wish to make a request: **_

_**jazzymark **_

_**Well see all you dudes later, chow! **_


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